LyondellBasell (LYB) sells products into more than 100 countries and is the world's largest producer of polymer compounds and a leader in polyolefin technologies. LYB develops, manufactures and markets high-quality and innovative products for applications ranging from sustainable transportation and food safety, to clean water and quality healthcare. With innovative material solutions and recycling technologies, LYB is dedicated to creating a brighter, cleaner, and healthier future for generations to come.

LYB sells polymer products in the form of 2-5 mm pellets, flakes and powders, which are handled at multiple points from creation to customer delivery. Plastic is primarily transported by railcar in the US, which is loaded from hatches on top of the cars. As part of their GoalZero initiative and commitment to Operation Clean Sweep, LYB wants to address historic contamination by investigating clean up methods and costs to remediate old unit areas and active railroad loading and unloading sites. Specifically, one focus of this project will be removing historic plastic pellets from railroad ballast.